Shou-Jie Shen, Cheng-Liang Zhu, Deng-Fu Lu, Hao Xu

We herein report an iron-catalyzed direct diazidation method via activation of bench-stable peroxyesters promoted by nitrogen-based ligands. This method is effective for a broad range of olefins and N-heterocycles, including those that are difficult substrates for the existing olefin diamination and diazidation methods. Notably, nearly a stoichiometric amount of oxidant and TMSN3 are sufficient for high-yielding diazidation for most substrates. Preliminary mechanistic studies elucidated the similarities and differences between this method and the benziodoxole-based olefin diazidation method previously developed by us. This method effectively addresses the limitations of the existing olefin diazidation methods. Most notably, previously problematic nonproductive oxidant decomposition can be minimized. Furthermore, X-ray crystallographic studies suggest that an iron-azide-ligand complex can be generated in situ from an iron acetate precatalyst and that it may facilitate peroxyester activation and the rate-determining C-N3 bond formation during diazidation of unstrained olefins.